Automotive body panels and other similar articles of manufacture are often made by hot or warm forming a sheet metal blank using a forming press. During the hot and warm forming processes, the sheet metal blank is pressed against the surface of at least one die in the forming press in the presence of heat. After a predetermined amount of pressing time, the sheet metal blank assumes the shape of the die surface and the sheet metal blank is thereafter removed from the forming press. In some instances, the die or the sheet metal blank is coated with relatively large amounts of lubricant to reduce adhesion between the sheet metal blank and the die surface during the forming process.